Casing closure apparatus and method



Dec. i6, 196g v. KUPclKEvlcsus CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD l2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. 26. 1966 A 7` TORNEV Dec. 16, 1969 v. KUPCaKE/lclus 3,483,393

' CSING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26. 1966 l2 Sheets-Sheet 2 STAT/:w17

NVENTOR VV TAU TAS r'f UPC l/ff.' V/C/US j ATTQRNEY Dec. i6, 1969 v. xupclxsvlcaus 3,483,801

CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26, 1966 l2 Sheets-Sheet 3 /7 ATTORNEY Dec. B6, 1969 v. KuPcaKEvaclus CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26, 196e l2 Sheets-Sheet L ENVENTOR Dec. m, 3969 v. xupcaxavaclus m CSING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26, 1966 l2 Sheets-Sheet 5 i VE TOR VVTAUTAS KUP /KE /C/U` ATToNaY Dec. 1%, E969 v. Kwcmavecaus CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD l2 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 26. 1966 INVENTOR.

VVT/407275 KUPC/KEV/C/US y Dec. M, 969 v. KUPCMEVICIUS 3,483,393

CSING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26, 1966 A l2 Sheets-Sheet '7 IN VEN TOR.

EQC 44 WMI/ms KUPc/KU/c/us A T TCH/VE .V

ec. w, i969 v. Kupcmamcm@ M8398@ CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26, 1966 l2 Sheets-Sheet B lNVENT VVL/TAS KUPC/KE'V/C/US TGEQ. @Y

ATTO N EY Dec, E6, 969 v. Ummm/mms CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD l2 Sheebs-Sheet 9 Filed Aug. 26, 1966 lNvENToR wma/T45 KUPc/KEa//c/Us ,y ATT Dec. 15, 1969 v. Kupcnxvacnus 3,4839301 CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed Aug. 26. 1966 l2 Sheets-Sheet 10 lfllmi! TTOHN EY Dec. 16, i969 v. mpmxewcaus CASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD l2 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Filed Aug. 26. 1966 nited States Patent O 3,483,801 aCASING CLOSURE APPARATUS AND METHOD Vytautas Kupcikevicius, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Union Carbide Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Aug. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 575,462 Int. Ci. B31b l/74 U.S. Cl. 93-8 12 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus and method for-ming a pleated casing for the food products and securing a loop hanger at the closed end of the casing.

The present invention relates to a casing pleating and closure apparatus and to a method of producing a closed food casing. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus which is capable of automatically and continuously pleating one end of a food casing and completely and securely closing the pleated end of the food casing.

The term food casing, as employed throughout this application and in the appended claims, is intended to include, but not be restrictive of, those tubular food casings fabricated from such materials as collagen, cellulose, regenerated cellulose, cellulose having bers ernbedded therein, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylidene chloride, and the like. These food casings are also known by those skilled in the art as sausage casings and are generally employed as containers or molds into which is stuffed or encased a food item, such as raw meat emulsions, meat chunks, discrete meat cuts and the like. These encased food items can then be frozen or, if desired, processed, as by cooking and curing, and items such as salami and bologna sausages, spiced meat loaves, ham loaves, hams, and the like can be obtained.

Food casings are usually stuffed with such food items by the use of mechanical equipment. A first end of the food casing is closed and the open or second end is placed over a horn or outlet means from which the food item is ejected under pressure until the food casing is stuffed. The closed end of the food casing must, therefore, be strong enough to withstand the stuffing pressure and also be sufficiently secured so that no food will escape therefrom during stuffing. The second end of the thusly stuffed food casing is then closed and the encased flood product further processed in conventional apparatus, such as cooking ovens, smoke houses and the like, where the stuffed food product is cooked and cured and then stored until ready for use or further processing. In general, one end closure of the casing is provided with a looped hanger, such as stout twine, to suspend the stuffed food casing thereby during the processing and storage period. The looped hanger is usually made as an integral part of the rst end casing closure.

In present manufacturing methods, these lengths of cured and cooked food products, which can be over feet in length and weight more than 40 pounds, are then cut transversely into slices of equal thickness and weight, either before or after removing the food casing therefrom, and are then packaged and sold through retail outlets in todays commercial market places.

In accordance with conventional practice, the iirst end closure is made on the flattened food casing when they are dry. These food casings are then soaked in Water before being stuffed in order to render them more pliable ICC during stuffing. The methods presently employed to close one end of a food casing and provide a hanger loop therefor include the use of string, twine, cupclips and the like as is disclosed in U.S. Patent 2,462,957, U.S. Patent 2,697,970 and U.S. Patent 3,010,621. During the soaking of those food casings provided with loops of string or twine, the loops often become knotted and tangled and must be manually unraveled before the casing is stuffed or, in any event, before the stuffed food casing is suspended for subsequent processing, curing and cooking.

Since industry is now tending to demand longer and heavier encased food products, attachment of a suitable suspension means to these food casings is becoming increasingly more important. Obviously, suspension means which tend to damage the casing Wall so that the casing breaks or suspension means which break or become separated from the encased food products during handling and processing resultsv in waste.

Pleating apparatus have also been devised and employed to pleat one end of a food casing preparatory to making and forming a closure in the pleated end, such as apparatus described in U.S. Patent 2,708,059, U.S. Patent 2,697,970, U.S. Patent 3,224,083, and U.S.Patent 2,589,- 792. While such apparatus have proven to be operable, they tend to damage the casing wall and are, generally, complex and cumbersome in their operation and also involve many manual operations.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an apparatus which is capable of automatically and continuously forming pleats across the width of a flattened, tubular food casing and securely closing the thusly pleated end of said food casing.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pleated food casing with a suspension means capable of supporting an encased food product for extended periods of time during subsequent processing, cooking and curing and which suspension means provides easier manual handling of the processed product.

These and further objects of the present invention will become apparent when considered in light of the ensuing discussion.

The objects of the present invention can be accomplished by providing an apparatus which generally comprises means for automatically and continuously supplying individual flattened, tubular food casings from a source of supply; means for automatically pleating one end of said food casings; and means for automatically closing the thusly pleated end of said food casing.

The apparatus can also be adapted to include means for automatically supplying a length of suitable material to form a hanger loop; means for forming a hanger loop; means for positioning the hanger loop adjacent the pleated casing end; means for forming a closure clip; and means for afxing the closure clip about the pleated casing end and about the hanger loop positioned adjacent thereto.

The invention will be more clearly understood when considered together with the accompanying drawing which is set forth by way of illustration thereof and is not intended, in any way, to be limitative thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic perspective view of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the component elements and major operating stations ofthe apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational View of Stations I, II, and III illustrating the feed and supply means to supply and feed the casings and the material and means used to form the hanger loop;

FIGURES 3ft-3d are enlarged side elevational views,

partly in section, of a portion of the casing supply and feed means illustrating the sequence of operation of feeding the casings from the supply table to the pleating means;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view, partly in section, of a portion of the feed means shown in FIGURES lia-3d;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5 5 of FIGURE 3d showing a portion of the pleating means at Station II and the casing positioned therein;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5 FIGURES 7a-7e are sectional views, taken along line 7 7 of FIGURE 5 and illustrating the sequence of operation of the pleating means at Station II;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view `of the hanger loop forming means;

FIGURES 9a-9c are side elevational views partly in section illustrating the sequence of operation of the hanger loop forming means at Station III;

FIGURE 10a is an end elevational schematic view, partly in section, taken along line 10-10 of FIGURE ll illustrating the hanger loop transfer means;

FIGURES 10b and 10c are end elevational schematic views, partly in section, taken along line 10-10 of FIG- URE ll and showing, partly in phantom, the sequence of operation of the hanger loop transfer means;

FIGURE ll is a side elevational schematic view of the hanger loop transfer means employed to transfer the formed hanger loop from Station III into position adjacent the pleated end of the casing at Station II;

FIGURE l2 is a top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the position of pleating components in the pleated end of the casing;

FIGURE 13a-13C are side elevational views, illustrating the casing transfer means employed to transfer the pleated casing end and hanger loop fro-m Station II to Station IV;

FIGURE 14a is an end elevational view, partly in section, taken along line 14a-14a of FIGURE 13a illustrating the casing transfer means positioned at Station II;

FIGURE 14b is an end elevational view, partly in section, taken along line 14b-14b of FIGURE l3c illustrating the casing transfer means positioned at Station IV;

FIGURES 15a-l5f are enlarged sections taken along line 15-15 of FIGURE 13e, illustrating the sequence of operation of the clip closure means at Station IV;

FIGURE 16 is a schematic perspective view illustrating one embodiment of a drive means which can be employed with the apparatus of the present invention; and

FIGURE 17 is a perspective view of a portion of a casing with one end closed by the closure means of this invention.

Turning now to the drawing, wherein like reference numerals denote like parts, there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention in which reference numeral 20 denotes a supply reel from which is unwound an inventory of material 22 suitable for forming a hanger loop, and which is automatically and continuously supplied to a hanger loop forming means, generally designated by reference numeral 80, at

Station III.

A flattened, tubular, food casing 25, both ends of which are open and which has been cut across the flattened Width thereof, is supplied from an inventory of food casings stacked on a supply table 23. The tubular, flattened food casing is fed t0 the pleating means, generally designated by reference numeral 50, at Station II.

At Station II, the food casing 25 is pleated while, at Station III, a hanger loop 24 is formed and is then transferred to and positioned adjacent the pleated casing end 26. The thusly positioned hanger loop 24 and the pleated casing end 26 are clamped firmly together by clamping jaws 102.

Once clamped together, the pleated casing and hanger loop are transferred to and indexed at Station IV where a wire clip closure is applied. During transit, the free end of the casing 25 is supported by a split connecting work surface 48. At Station IV, an inventory of clip wire is fed from a supply reel 164 to a clip forming means. generally designated by reference numeral 150, which forms and firmly fastens a clip about both the pleated casing end 26 and the hanger loop 24. The end closure of the casing is now completed and the casing is automatically removed from the apparatus by rotating clamps APPARATUS Station I In FIGURE 2, there is shown the supply reel 20 from which is drawn an inventory of hanger loop material 22. The hanger loop material 22 is trained about guide rolls 21a and 2lb and is continuously and automatically fed to the hanger loop forming means 80. Meanwhile, an in dividual, attened, tubular food casing 25 is being automatically fed from a stack of food casings on the supply table 23 to the pleating means 50. The supply table 23 is affixed horizontally to the inboard ights of roller chains 239a, 239b (FIGURES l and 16) which are vertically intermittently driven by counterrotating shafts 232a, 232C energized and controlled by drive means later described. Table 23 is stabilized in frame 28 by guide rollers 37. Supply table 23 supports a stack of casing 25 and is moved vertically upward by the drive means to a predetermined casing pickup level to permit an individual casing 25 to be lifted from the top of the stack and fed to the pleating means 50. The pickup level is controlled by photo-electric eye 30 (FIGURE 2) trained across the top of the stack, which automatically arrests the vertical movement of the table when the stack intercepts the light beam.

Vacuum cups 32 (FIGURES 2, 3a and 16) are secured to mounting bar 246@ and are connected by a flexible hose 32a to a source of vacuum (not shown) to pick up the uppermost casing 25 from the stack of casings. The mounting bar 246:1 is rotatably mounted on crank arms 246 (FIGURE I6) and is adapted for movement of the vacuum cups from a pressing engagement with the stack of casings to the casing feed discharge position. As crank arms 246 pivot about shaft 244, vacuum cups 32 lift the leading edge of casing 25 from the stack and advance it toward a yoke mechanism generally designated by reference numeral 33. The yoke mechanism 33 (FIGURES 3ft-3d and 4) comprises a trailing upper feed roll 34 and a leading upper feed roll 36 which are rotatably mounted 1n tandem at the ends of a pair of connecting bars 38. Connecting bars 38 are, in turn, pivotally mounted to the frame of the apparatus 2S by means of a pivot shaft 40. Oscillation of the yoke mechanism 33 is accomplished by means of air Cylinder 42 `connected centrally to one end of yoke operating bar 38a. The other end of operatmg bar 38a is secured t-opivot shaft 40.

A rotatably mounted lower feed roll 35 is positioned below trailing upper feed roll 34 so that it cooperates with trailing upper feed roll 34 when trailing upper feed roll 34 is oscillated downwardly. Lower feed roll 35 is driven to rotate in a clock-wise direction and its upper circumferential surface is tangentially aligned with the upper surface of pleating platen 44. Pleating platen 44 provides the surface over which an individual food Casin g 25 is transferred from the supply table 23 to the pleating means 50 at Station II. Advancement of the leading edge of an individual food casing 25 across the pleating platen 44 to the pleating means 50 is arrested by means later described and controlled by means of photoelectric eye 31. In this manner, an individual food casing 25 is supplied to and positioned in the pleating means 59.

It should be understood that the terms leading edge or leading end, as employed throughout this application and in the appended claims, are intended to indicate that portion of the apparatus or article farthest away from the supply table 23 while the terms trailing edge or "trailing end are similarly intended to indicate that portion of the apparatus or article nearest the supply table 23.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, lower feed roll 35 is journaled in machine frame 28 (FIGURE 4) and upper feed roll 34 is journaled in yoke connecting bars 38 adjacent their trailing ends. Connecting bars 38 are secured to pivot shaft 40 pivotally mounted in machine frame 28. Rolls 34, 35 are provided with mating ridges 46 spaced apart by grooves 45. When rolls 34, 35 are engaged in pressing relationship, ridges 46 firmly secure and align the casing as it is advanced from the supply table 23 to the pleating means 50. The ridges 46 of roll 34 are preferably coated with a material having a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber. Grooves 45 provide a degree of freedom for the two plies of the flattened casing intermediate the roll ridges, thereby preventing wrinkling and lengthwise misalignrnent of the casing.

Grooves 45 in roll 35 cooperate with curved fingers 43 formed as an extension of the trailing edge of pleating platen 44, to strip the leading edge of casing 25 from roll and prevent casing 25 from slipping beneath the surface of platen 44 as the casing is fed to the pleating means 50. Advance of the food casing 25 from the nip between feed rolls 34, 35 to the pleating means 50 can thereby be accomplished with regularity and accuracy.

As is described in more detail hereinbelow, leading upper feed roll 36 acts as a brake when the casing is arrested in its forward motion and also acts as securing means for the casing 25 when it is being pleated. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention (FIGURE 4) leading upper feed r-oll 36 is comprised of a plurality of individual, fiat-face, bushed pulleys 39 rotatably mounted on shouldered shaft 41 xedly secured to connecting bars 38. Pulleys 39 are spaced apart by the bushing portion thereof at a spacing similar to the spacing of ridges 46 on rolls 34, 35. The faces of pulleys 39 are also preferably coated with a friction material such as rubber to brake the casing to a halt at a predetermined position in pleating means 50. A slight braking force is imposed on the pulleys 39 which force is controlled by clamping the pulley bushing interfaces along shaft 4l intermediate the side surfaces of operating bar 38a and set screw collars 47.

Station Il As shown in FIGURES 3a', 5, 6 and 7a, the pleating means 50 comprises a lower forming assembly generally designated by reference numeral 52, and an upper pleating assembly generally designated by reference numeral 62.

The lower forming assembly 52 comprises horizontally disposed plate member S4 having a plurality of forming members 56 extending vertically from the upper surface thereof. Pleating platen 44 is horizontally secured to machine frame 28 and extends from trailing edge fingers 43 to its leading end at pleating means 50. The leading end of platen 44 has a plurality of spaced apart slots 60 dened therein to accommodate the vertical movement of forming members 56 therethrough. The upper horizontal surface of platen 44 is preferably coated with or fabricated from a material having a low coefficient of friction and should be of sufficient hardness or durability to resist wear.

The upper pleating assembly 62 comprises a movable U-shaped plate member 64, having vertically disposed side sections 65 depending downwardly therefrom. Plunger rod 66 is slideably mounted in bushed hole 68 central of the horizontally disposed portion of plate member 64. The lower end of rod 66 is secured to center pleating blade 76. Compression spring 70 is slideably mounted on rod 66 and is constrained between blade 76 and the bottom side of plate 64. Plunger rod 66 and compression spring 70 are secured in assembly with plate member 64 by flanged head 67.

Extending inwardly from the side sections are a plurality of horizontally disposed support members 72. The support members 72 are respectively secured to a plurality of horizontally disposed rods 74 which, in turn, are slideably mounted through side sections 65 of plate member 64 (FIGURE 7a).

Center pleating blade 76 vertically depends from the lower extremity of rod 66. Vertically depending from the support members 72 are a plurality of pairs of side pleating blades 77 and 78 which are disposed parallel to and on each side of center pleating blade 76. Center pleating blade 76 is vertically longer than side pleating blades 77 and 78 (FIGURE 7a). Side pleating blades 77 are horizontally shorter than and positioned back from the leading and trailing edges of center pleating blade 76 While side pleating blades 78 are horizontally shorter than and positioned back from the leading and trailing edges of side pleating blades 77 (FIGURES 5, 6 and 12).

The leading and trailing edges of al1 the pleating blades 76, 77, 78 are preferably rounded in order to minimize damage to the casing.

The lower horizontal edges of all the pleating blades, which come into contact with the attened food casing 25, are preferably coated with a composition which has a high coefficient of friction, such as rubber, in order to insure a firm coaction between them and the end of the casing to be pleated as will become apparent hereinafter.

Although the apparatus depicted in the drawing illustrates a pleating means having only two pairs of side pleating blades, it should be understood that this embodiment is not intended as a limitation. A lesser or greater number of side pleating blades can be employed as desired or required, depending primarily upon the width of the flattened food casing to be pleated. The greater the at width of the food casing, the greater will be the number of side pleating blades desired or required, while in food casings having smaller flat widths, the converse will prevail.

Station III Illustrated in FIGURFAS 8 and 9a-9c is the hanger loop forming means 80 which comprises a pair of pinch rolls 82 which feed the hanger loop material 22 to the hanger loop forming means 80. The pinch rolls 82 are controlled by a timer (not shown) so that a predetermined length of hanger loop material 22 is intermittently fed to the hanger loop forming means 80. The pinch rolls 82 also act to guide the hanger loop material 22 over an anvil `84 which has a recessed center and an extension 84a at its leading end. The anvil 84 is, in turn, mounted on base 85 which is secured to machine frame 28. Anvil 84 acts as a support when the material 22 is severed by a severing means 86. The pinch rolls 82 advance the hanger material 22 so that the free end thereof is rst trained horizontally into the space intermediate a looping pin 92 and a forming clamp 88 in its retracted position as shown in FIGURE 9a'. Looping pin 92 is fixedly secured to bracket 93 which, in turn, is fastened to machine frame 28. Forming clamp 88 is comprised of two pairs of V-shaped prongs `89, 89a, extending from a common base block 87. Block 87 is secured to the outboard end of lever arm 90, whose inboard end is secured to clamp pivot shaft 91 rotatably trunnioned in frame 28. When clamp 88 is rotated from its retracted position to its clamping position, as shown in FIGURE 9b, by conventional rotary air cylinder means (not shown), the length of hanger loop material 22 is nested in the V-shaped prongs 89, 89a to form a bight in the hanger loop material about looping pin 92, and then prong 89 clamps the two plies of hanger loop material 22 against anvil extension 84a.

Since, in a preferred embodiment the hanger loop material 22 is selected from conventional heat-meltable materials descriped hereinbelow, the severing means 86 is comprised of a V-shaped knife element 83 heated by a suitable thermostat-controlled electrical current. Knife 83 frame 28 and is advanced and retracted from the anvil 84 to sever the material 22 in a controlled time and temperature operation.

Referring now to FIGURES a-10c and 11, there is shown a hanger loop transfer means, generally designated by reference numeral 94, equipped with a pair of gripping jaws 96 which are pivotally mounted on a swing plate 98. Gripping jaws are actuated by an air cylinder and linkage (not shown) to grip the plies of the hanger loop'24 intermediate prongs 89, 89a (FIGURE 9c). Swing plate 98 is trunnioned on cross carriage 95 which is reciprocated on guide ways 97 by securing it to the piston rod of air cylinder 99 mounted on machine frame 28. Swing plate 98 is provided with a Geneva motion and gear (not shown) mounted on cross carriage 95, the gear meshing with a gear rack (not shown) atiixed to frame 28. As cross carriage 95 is advanced to the hanger loop forming means 80, the gripping jaws 95 first grip the hanger loop 24 intermediate prongs 89, 89a (FIGURES 9c and 10a). Then the cross carriage 95 retracts to iirst strip the formed hanger loop 24 from pin 92 (FIGURE 10b). Subsequently, by means of the Geneva motion, swing plate 98 rotates as carriage 95 traverses the clamping means from the hanger loop forming means 80 to the pleating means (FIGURE 10c). In this manner, the hanger loop 24 is transferred from the hanger loop forming means and positioned adjacent the pleated end 26 of the casing 25 (FIGURES 10c and l1).

Casing transfer mechanism A casing transfer carriage mechanism is employed to transfer the casing 25 by its pleated casing end 26 together with the hanger loop 24 from the pleating means at Station II to the clip forming means 150 at Station IV.

Referring now to FIGURES 13al3c and FIGURES 14a and 14h, there is illustrated a casing transfer carriage mechanism comprising a vertically disposed carriage member 100 on the upper portion of which is rotatably mount ed a pair of clamping jaws 102. The clamping jaws 102 firmly clamp the hanger loop 24 to the pleated casing end 26 after the hanger loop 24 has been positioned adjacent the pleated casing end 26 by the clamping means 94 (FIGURES 10c and ll). The clamping jaws 102 are interconnected to a pair of meshing gears 104 (FIG- URES 14a andl4b) one of which is mounted to one end of a crank arm 106. The other end of crank arm 106 iS pivotally mounted to an air cylinder 108. Actuation of air cylinder 108, acting through crank arm 106 and gears 104, causes the clamping jaws 102 to rotate toward or away from each other.

Carriage member 100 is reciprocally mounted in the apparatus by means of a pair of grooved guide rollers 110 mounted at each end of the carriage member 100 (FIGURES 13a-13C). Guide rollers 110 are, in turn,

mounted to mate with cooperating guide bars 112 fastened to frame 28. An endless roller chain 114 is trained about two pairs of sprockets 116 and 118. Sprockets 116 are rotatably mounted to the frame of the apparatus 28 adjacent the pleating means 50 at Station II and are vertically disposed with respect to each other. Sprockets 118 are similarly rotatably mounted adjacent the clip closure means 150 at Station IV. A cam follower 120 is secured to endless chain 114 so as to traverse in vertical guideway 122 which is fixedly secured to carriage member 100.

A dual air manifold block 124 having upper manifold 126 and lower manifold 128 is vertically mounted to carriage member 100 and is aligned with the direction of travel of the carriage member 100 (FIGURES 14a and l4b). Upper and lower manifolds, 126 and 128, are each equipped with a female section of an air hose coupling containing a check valve. An air hose 130 connects upper manifold 126, through its port 127, to the rod end of air cylinder 108 while air hose 132 connects lower 8 manifold 128, through its port 129, to the piston end or" air cylinder 108.

A first manifold block 134 (FIGURE 13a) is vertically mounted to the apparatus frame 28 adjacent the pleating means 50 at Station IL'Male air hose, coupling sections 135 and 136 equipped 'with check valves are aiiixed to manifold block 134 and aligned to cooperate with the female coupling sections in the upper and lower manifolds 126 and 128, respectively, of dual air manifold 124.

A second manifold block 138 (FIGURE 13e) is similarly vertically mountedto the apparatus frame 28 adjacent the clip closure means 150 at Station IVand has axed thereto male air hose coupling sections 139 and 140, also equipped with check valves, which are aligned to cooperate with female coupling sections in `manifolds 126 and 128, respectively, of dual air'manifold 124.

Stated in another way, female hose coupling section in upper manifold 126 of dual air manifold block 124 is aligned to engage male hose coupilng sections 135 and 139 of manifold blocks 134 and 138, respectively, while female hose coupling sectionin lower manifold 128 is aligned to engage male hose coupling sections 136 and 140 of manifold blocks 134 and 138, respectively.

By means of this mechanism, the pleated casing end 26 together with the hanger loop 24 positioned adjacent thereto are gripped at Station II and then transferred to the clip forming means at Station IV before subsequently being released from the gripping means after the closure is made.

Station IV The pleated casing end 26 together with the hanger loop 24 are indexed at the clip closure forming means 150 of Station IV. As shown in FIGURE 15a, the clip closure forming means 150 comprisesva clip die 152 fabricated in the form of a solid, rectangular bar having rounded corners at one side. Directly opposite the rounded corners of the clip die 152 there is positioned a movable clip die 154. The ends of movable clip die 154, which are adjacent to and directly opposite the rounded corners of clip die 152, are each machined atan angle which extends inwardly toward the body of movable clip die 154 defining a horizontal V-groove. Extending along the entire longitudinal axis of movable clip die 154 is a guideway 155 (FIGURES 15e and 15d) in which a clip ram 156 is slideably mounted. The corners at one end of clip ram section 156 are also rounded and are positioned directly opposite the rounded corners of clip die 152 and adjacent the angled ends of movable clip die 154. A clip wire guide 158, fabricated from a solid rectangular bar having a bore hole 159, is positioned adjacent the apex of one angled end of movable clip die 154 so that the edge of the bore hole 159 is aligned with the corner of the angled end of movable clip die 154 adjacent thereto. As shown in FIGURE 15a, a pair of pinch rolls 168 are aligned with bore hole 159 of clip wire guide 158 and are adapted to feed the clip wire 165 from a supply reel 164 (FIGURE l) to be positioned adjacent the clip die 152. The pinch rolls 168 are controlled by a timer (not shown) so that a predetermined length of clip wire 165i is intermittently fed through bore hole 159 and past the rounded corners of clip die 152. Adjacent the other angled end of movable clip die 154 there is positioned a wire stop plate 157 which arrests the advance of clip wire 165 as it is guided through bore hole 159 and positioned adjacent the rounded corners of clip die 152.

On the other side of clip die 152, there is positioned a clip closing die 160. The face of clip closing die 160 nearest clip die 152 is angled at each side end thereof to mate with the inside surfaces; that is, the horizontally disposed V-groove, of the angled ends of movable clip die 154. The face of the clip closing die 160, between its angled side ends, is machined in the form of a slot 161 in order to receive a wire clip section 166 (FIG- URE e) severed from the clip wire 165. As can `be seen in FIGURE 15a the rear wall of the slot 161 is machined to have a concave rear wall and side walls extending at an angle outwardly therefrom to the face of the clip closing die 160.

Apparatus drive mechanism-Referring now to FIG- URE 16, there is illustrated one embodiment of a drive mechanism that can be employed to energize the apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIGURE 16, a main drive motor 200 has mounted to its shaft 201 an electrical clutch 204 and and electrical brake 206. The output end of shaft 201 is connected to a first speed reducer 202 by means of an endless chain and sprocket drive 208. The through shaft 203 of speed reducer 202 is connected to a second speed reducer 210 equipped with output shaft 211. At the other end of output shaft 211 there is rotatably mounted a crank 212 which is connected to the stacking means and which activates rotating clamps 170 (FIGURE 1) through pin 215, rotatably mounted link arm 216, shaft 217, right angle speed increaser 218 and rotating shaft 219 to which rotating clamps 170 (FIGURE 1) are mounted.

At the other end of second speed reducer 210, through shaft 203 connects second speed reducer 210 in tandem with third speed reducer 220.

At the other side of second speed reducer 210, shaft 221 connects second speed reducer 210 with right angle drive 223. Right angle drive 223 is, in turn, connected to a control box 224 through shaft 225. Control box 224 contains a plurality of electrical switches operated by rotating cams (no shown) mounted on a common shaft which is driven by shaft 225, so that various operations and functions of the apparatus are synchronized and controlled as is described in more detail hereinbelow.

A main cam shaft 226 is mounted to third speed reducer 220. One end of a rst roller chain and sprocket drive 227 is mounted on main cam shaft 226 adjacent third speed reducer 220. The other end of chain and sprocket drive 227 is mounted to one end of clutch shaft 231 of electric clutch 230. At the other end of main cam shaft 226 there is mounted one end of a second chain and sprocket drive 229 whose other end is mounterd to shaft 241 of cam 240. Intermediate chain and sprocket drives 227 and 229 mounted on main cam shaft 226, are a plurality of cams 228 which mechanically actuate the vertical motions of the pleating means 50.

As described above, the other end of chain and sprocket drive 227 is mounted to one end of clutch shaft 231 of clutch 230. At the other end of clutch shaft 231 an endless ehain and sprocket drive 233 is mounted to connect clutch 230 with a fourth speed reducer 234 through shaft 235. Mounted on the end of shaft 235 is one-way clutch 196 which in turn, mounts hand crank 198. The hand crank 198 and clutch 196 are employed to manually lower casing supply table 23. Fourth speed reducer 234 is provided with a shaft 236 which is connected to one end of shaft 232a by means of endless chain and sprocket drive 237.

Fourth speed reducer 234 is also connected to shaft 232e by means of chain and sprocket drive 238 and shaft 247. Chain and sprocket drives 239a connect shafts 232a and 23211 to each other while chain and sprocket drives 239!) connect shafts 232C and 232d to each other. Shaft 236 is driven in a counter-clockwise direction while shaft 247 is driven in a clockwise direction so that chain and sprocket drives 239:1 and 23911 are driven in the direction shown by the arrows. Through this mechanism, supply table 23 is energized and controlled in its intermittent vertically upward movement.

Referring again to endless chain and sprocket drive 229, it was pointed out above that one end was mounted to one end of main cam shaft 226 while the other end was mounted to shaft 241 of cam 240. Cooperating with cam 240 is a cam follower 243 which is in constant contact with the perimeter of cam 240.

Cam follower 243 is connected to one end of shaft 244 by link 242. Mounted on shaft 244 are a pair of crank arms 246 which rotatably support mounting bar 246:1 to which vacuum cups 32 are mounted. A tension spring 245 is connected to link 242 intermediate its ends and acts to maintain cam follower 243 in firm engagement with cam 240. A chain and sprocket drive 144 is arranged to maintain mounting bar 24621 in horizontal alignment as it is rotated about shaft 244. The sprocket on the inboard end of crank arm 246 is journaled on shaft 244 and the sprocket is fixed in position by bracket 146 secured to machine frame 28. The sprocket on the outboard end of crank arm 246 is fixed to an extension of the shaft journaling mounting bar 246cz in crank arms 246.

With reference again to third speed reducer 220, drive energy is transmitted therefrom by through shaft 203, right angle drive 248, through shaft 249, right angle drive 250, connecting shaft 251, right angle drive 252 and connecting shaft 253 to drive lower feed roll 35 continuously in a clockwise direction.

Right angle drive 250 is also equipped with a connecting shaft 255 to which is mounted an electrical clutch-brake 254. Electrical clutch-brake 254, by means of connecting shafts 256, 257 and right angle drive 258, is connected to the endless chain 114 and sprockets 116 and 118 which comprise the drive means of the casing transfer mechanism (FIGURES 14a and 14b).

OPERATION Station I The operation of the apparatus at Station I can be more readily understood when taken together with FIGURES 1, 2, 3d and 16 of the drawing.

As shown in FIGURES l and 2, a stack of cut flattened, tubular food casings is positioned on the supply table 23 while the leading end of hanger loop material 22 is trained over guide rolls 21a and 2lb from the supply reel 20 and fed between the pinch rolls 82 of hanger loop forming means while clip wire 165 is fed from the Supply reel 164 through wire pinch rolls 168 to be positioned in the clipping means 150. The main drive motor 200 is then started energizing the drive components of the apparatus (FIGURE 16).

Before start up, supply table 23 is lowered manually to accept the stack of food casings, by cranking hand crank 198 through one-way clutch 196 to the input shaft 235 of the fourth speed reducer 234. At start up, supply table 23 is urged upwardly by chain and sprocket drives 239a and 239b (FIGURE 16) until the top of the stack 0f casings 25 attains the pickup level whereupon the light beam of photoelectric eye 30 is intercepted and controls to disconnect electric clutch 230. Speed reducer 234 is a worm gear reducer capable of being operated only by its input shaft 235 and thus when clutch 230 is inoperative, supply table 23 is locked or maintained in feed pickup position. When the number of casings removed from the top of the stack falls below the pickup level, the light beam trips the photoelectric control 30 and clutch 230 is reenergized thereby mechanically reconnecting the machine drive from main cam shaft 226 through chain and sprocket linkage 227 and 233 to speed reducer 234, thereby raising the table to the pickup level, whereupon the casing stack again intercepts the light beam.

With reference to FIGURE 16 vacuum cups 32 are raised and lowered once in each cycle of apparatus operation by means of main cam shaft 226 acting through chain and sprocket drive 229 to shaft 241 of cam 240 cooperating with cam follower 243 and link 242 to shaft 244 to which levers 246 are mounted. The levers 246 rotatably support mounting bar 246a to which the vacuum cups 32 are secured. When shaft 244 is rotated by link 242, levers 246 are caused to move through an arc of about 90 and, by coaction of roller chain and sprocket drive 144, mounting bar 246a and vacuum cups 32 are caused to move in parallel relationship to the top surface of the stack of casings 25. Vacuum cups 32 thus lift the uppermost casing 25 and insert its leading edge between lower feed roll 35 and trailing upper feed roll 34 (FIG- URE 3a). Lower feed roll 35 is continuously driven in a clockwise direction from the main drive motor 200 acting essentially through speed reducers 202, 210 and 220, right angle drives 248, 250 and 252 and shafts 203, 249, 251 and 253.

Referring now to FIGURES Saz-3d, the leading end of food casing 25 trips a feeler switch (not shown) as it is positioned between trailing upper feed roll 34 and lower feed roll 35 and thusly actuates air cylinder 42 and a valve (not shown) that interrupts the vacuum to vacuum cups 32. Actuation of air cylinder 42 causes trailing upper feed roll 34 to oscillate downwardly and firmly engage the leading end of food casing 25 between it and lower roll 35 (FIGURE 3b), thereby stripping the casing from the vac-uum cups 32. Food casing 25 is thusly advanced over pleating platen 44 toward the pleating means 50 at Station II (FIGURE 3c). As the food casing 25 advances toward the pleating means t), photoelectric eye 31 senses the advance of the leading end of food casing 25 and transmits an electrical signal through a conventional time delay and electro-pneumatic valve (not shown) that controls cylinder 42 which is then reversed. Reverse action of the air cylinder 42 causes leading upper feed roll 36 to oscillate downwardly and trailing upper feed roll 34 to oscillate upwardly through connecting bar 38 acting about pivot shaft 40. At the extremity of its downward movement, leading upper feed roll 36 firmly engages the body of the food casing 25 between it and pleating platen 44 and thusly brakes the advance of the casing. The leading end of food casing 25 is thusly positioned in the pleating means 50 ready to be pleated (FIGURE 3d).

Station II Once the leading end of food casing 25 is positioned in the pleating means 50 between the lower forming assembly 52 and the upper pleating assembly 62, as is shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7a, the pleating operation is ready to begin.

The sequence followed in pleating one end of the food casing 25 is illustrated in FIGURES 7a-7e. As shown in FIGURE 7a, the leading end of the thusly positioned food casing 25 is over the lower forming members 56 and rests on the upper surface of platen 44 which acts as a work surface. Plate 54 is then raised by appropriate linkage (not shown) actuated by cams 228 mounted on main cam shaft 226 (FIGURE 16) thereby raising the food casing 25 from the surface of platen 44 and causing it to be supported solely by the lower forming members 56. The upper pleating assembly 62 is then lowered by appropriate linkage (not shown) actuated by cams 228. The upper pleating assembly 62 is lowered until the center pleating blade 76, firmly clamps the central portion of food casing 25 to the upper surface of platen 44 between adjacent lower forming members 56 as shown in FIG- URE 7b. Upper pleating assembly 62 is then lowered still further until the pairs of side pleating blades 77 and 78 also clamp the food casing 25 to the upper surface of platen 44 between respectively adjacent lower forming members 56 forming a wave pattern or loosely formed, undulating shape across the width of the food casing 25 (FIGURE 7c). During this time, center pleating blade 76 is retained in its position by means of the coil spring 70 which is compressed between center blade 76 and plate 64. The lower horizontal edges of the pairs of side pleating blades 77 and 78, as well as the lower horizontal edge of center pleating blade 76 are now all clamping the food casing 25 to platen 44. Plate 54 is now retracted through the further actuation of cams 228 (FIGURE 16), as described hereinbefore, thereby lowering the lower forming members 56 to a position at least flush with the working surface of platen 44. The food casing 25 is now clamped solely to the upper surface of platen 44 by the pleating blades, while the wave pattern is retained across the width of the food casing by the pleating blades (FIGURE 7c). Next, the pair of side pleating blades '7S are actuated to move transversely across the width of the food casing 25 through rods 74 each acting respectively on horizontal mounts 72 from which side pleating blades 78 vertically depend, thereby condensing and compressing the Erst formed wave pattern toward the central blade 76. Conventional pneumatic means (not shown) connected to rods 74 are energized by limit switches in control box 224 for this function. In this manner, the rst pleats on each lateral side of the casing between each pair of side pleating blades 77 and 78 are formed as shown in FIG- URE 7d. Next, the pair ofv side pleating blades 77 are similarly actuated as blades 78 continue to advance inwardly, transversing the width of food casing 25 to form subsequent pleats in the food casing 25 between each of the side pleating blades 77 and center pleating blade 76. Hence, pleats are continuously and sequentially formed in the food casing 25 inwardly toward its center beginning rst with forming pleats at each of the lateral side edges of the food casing before subsequent, interior pleats are formed. Formation of the pleats in this manner is accomplished without rmly clamping the pleats between adjacent pleating blades so that the pleating blades can be subsequently readily withdrawn without disturbing the formed pleats (FIGURE 7e).

The height of each pleat formed can be readily controlled by making slight modications and adjustments in the pleating blades and/or the forming members. For example, higher or lower pleats can be made as required or desired by altering the distance between the pleating blades, or controlling the vertical upward movement ot' plate 54 which, in turn, determines the distance the lower forming members 56 will protrude above the upper surface of plate member 58, or by altering the height ot' the lower forming members 56, or by altering the height of the pleating blades, or by various combinations thereof which will become apparent to those skilled in the art.

The leading and trailing edges of the side pleating blades 77 and 78 are set progressively back from the leading and trailing edge of the center pleating blade 76 (FIGURES 3d, 5 and l2) to facilitate the orderly gathering of the dat casing plies into pleated relation without humping, wrinkling or tearing the casing rearward of the trailing edges of the pleating blades. Through the operation of the novel pleating means in the apparatus of the present invention, the pleating blades are capable of pleating the food casing more uniformly thereby also minimizing possible injury to the food casing during pleating.

Surprisingly it has been found that pleated food casings produced by the apparatus of the present invention exhibited a lower incidence of breakage than pleated food casings obtained from commercially available pleating apparatus. It is believed the lower incidence of breakage results from the unique characteristics of the pleats produced by the apparatus of the invention. It was observed that the formed pleats had alternate crests 29 and troughs 27 which differ from each other in that the troughs 27 were rounded while the crests 29 were formed into sharp apexes (FIGURE 10c). Pleats formed in food casings by commercially available pleating apparatus were observed to have denite sharp points at the apex of both the troughs and crests of the pleats which is believed to contribute to a higher incidence of breakage in such pleated casings. The pleating assembly of the present invention, `on the other hand, produces pleated food casings which exhibit a lower incidence of breakage.

By employing the pleating assembly of the present invention, predetermined wave patterns can be formed in the food casing from which pleats of controlled size can be obtained. Thusly, pleats of similar size or of varying size can be readily formed by simple adjustments and manipulation of the pleating blades and corresponding adjustments and manipulation of the other components of the pleating assembly.

Station III While the pleating operation is in progress, the hanger loop 24 is simultaneously being formed at the hanger loop forming means 80 (FIGURE 1).

While the material selected to form the hanger loop is not critical, it has been found that a highly oriented, thermoplastic, heat-meltable tape, such as that commercially employed to band cartons and boxes, provides a good hanger loop and this type of material is preferred.

The thermoplastic, heat meltable material employed should be capable of withstanding temperatures of bctween 190 F.220 F., during curing, cooking and processing while supporting the weight of the encased food product. It should also be capable of having a bead readily formed therein. Formation of a bead in the hanger loop is desirable since the bead will be placed to coact with the wire clip section to form an anchoring means by which the stuffed food casing can be securely suspended. Further reference to the term bead throughout this application and in the claims, therefor, is intended to refer to and should be understood as referring to that portion of a hanger loop which has been formed to coact with a wire clip section so as to provide an anchoring means for the hanger loop by which a stuffed food casing is suspended.

The hanger loop tape employed in a preferred embodiment of the present invention is rectangular in crosssection and is one which has been oriented in one direction; that is, along its length, to assure that the desired strength is obtained. Due to the orientation of the hanger loop tape, a bead can be readily obtained in its severed ends by employing a melt cutoff knife as the serving means.

As described hereinabove, the melt cut-olf knife S6y (FIGURES 9a to 9c) has a V-shaped blade 83 which can be heated and, in use, severs the tape by advancing it to and through the tape by melting it at its point of contact with the tape. By adjusting the penetration, temperature and shape of the blade sides 83 of the cutoff knife, the size and shape of the beads 22a, 22b, formed in the thermoplastic hanger loop material 22 can also be adjusted as desired.

It should be understood that, while one type of hanger loop tape has been described for use in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, other types of hanger loop materials can also be readily employed to function in the same manner. For example, hanger loop materials which are channeled or U-shaped in cross-section, or which have raised portions or teeth along their length can also be used. When the hanger loop material is canneled or U-shaped in cross section, attachment of the wire clip section so as to deform the tape Will suffice to form a bead and provide an anchoring means. Formation of a bead in hanger loop materials having raised portions or teeth along their length can be obtained by severing the material through its raised portion and attaching the wire clip so that it coacts with the raised portion of the tape providing an anchoring means by which the stuffed food casing can be suspended,

Obviously, other materials such as preformed or pretied string loops, wire, metal tape, filaments and the like, having various cross-sectional configurations can also have beads formed therein to provide an anchoring means and their use is not precluded herein.

Turning now to FIGURE 9a, a length of hanger loop material 22 is supplied through pinch rolls 82, passed over anvil 84 and extended beyond the prongs of form- I4 ing clamp 88. Forming clamp 88 is shown in its starting or open position in alignment with anvil 84 and mounting base 85. The pinch rolls 82, which automatically feed the material 22, are energized intermittently through conventional connecting means to the drive means of the apparatus synchronized by control box 224 so that only a predetermined length of material 22 is supplied. Usually, the length of hanger loop material delivered to the forming clamp 88 is about 8 inches in length.

Once the hanger loop material 22 is in position on the anvil 84 and extended horizontally into the space intermediate looping pin 92 and forming clamp 88, lever arm 90 that mounts clamp 88 is rotated about pivot shaft 91 by actuation of a rotary pneumatic cylinder and linkage means (not shown). As shown in phantom in FIGURE 9a, V-shaped prongs 89, 89a engage the leading end of hanger loop material 22 and bend it about looping pin 92 forming a bight or loop in tape 22. Clamp 83 continues to rotate about shaft 91 and prong 89 continues to bend the leading end of the material 22 about pin 92, and thereby reverses it onto the trailing end of hanger loop material 22 (FIGURE 9b) until prong 89 clamps both the leading and trailing ends of hanger loop material 22 against the anvil extension 84a.

When the hanger loop material 22 is thusly clamped across the anvil 84, severing means 86 is advanced downwardly by an air cylinder and linkage (not shown) to sever the hanger loop material 22 (FIGURE 9c) resulting in formation of a hanger loop 24. Anvil 84 acts as a support for the material 22 between pinch rolls 82 and clamp prong 89. The anvils central recessed portion permits the blade 83 of severing means 86 to advance through the hanger loop material 22 until stopped by surface 85.

Since, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the hanger loop material 22 is a thermoplastic, heat meltable material, the severing means 86 is preferably a V-shaped melt cut-off knife. The V-shaped blade 83 of the melt cut-off knife 86 is heated to a controlled predetermined temperature by conventional electrical means (not shown). Knife 86 is positioned so that it severs only one ply of material 22. In use, the blade 83 is rst advanced to contact and sever the material by melting it. As knife 86 is further advanced, the severed ends are further melted back by the sloping sides of blade 83 to form beads 22a and 22b. In this manner, beads 22a and 2219 are formed in each of the severed ends of the hanger loop 24; that is, the trailing end of the formed hanger loop 24 has a bead 22h while the leading end of the hanger loop material 22 also has a bead 22a (FIGURE 9c). Hence, as the leading end of the hanger loop material 22 is rotated to form the next successive hanger loop, one of its ends has already had a bead 22a formed in it. Once the hanger loop 24 has been formed, the beaded ends 22a, 22h, are permitted to cool or, alternatively, can be cooled by directing a jet of air on them.

Control box 224 now actuates the hanger loop transfer means 94 shown in FIGURES 10a, 10b, 10c and l1. A pneumatically actuated air cylinder recipro-cates the transfer means 94 across the apparatus toward the hanger loop forming means 80. At the end of the traversing movement of transfer means 94, gripping jaws 96 are pneumatically actuated to close and grip the hanger loop 24 intermediate its beaded ends 22a, 22h and its closed loop end as shown in FIGURE 9c. The melt cut-off knife 86 is then retracted to its starting position and the forming clamp 8 is counter-rotated and returned to its starting position, as shown in FIGURE 9a. The hanger loop 24 is then withdrawn from the hanger forming means which is then ready to form the next hanger loop.

The hanger loop 24 is transferred by the gripping jaws 26 on transfer means 94 toward the pleated casing end 26. During this transfer, transfer means 94 is pneumatically actuated to first strip the hanger loop 24 from the looping pin 92 (FIGURE 10b) and is then rotated through a 90 arc (FIGURES 10b and 10c) coincidently with the transfer of the hanger loop 24 to a position adjacent the pleated casing end 26. In this position, the closed end of the hanger loop 24 extends beyond the leading edge of the pleated casing end 26 (FIGURES 1l, 12). Once the hanger loop 24 has been thusly positioned, the clamping jaws 102 of the transfer carriage mechanism are activated to securely engage the pleated casing end 26 and the hanger loop 24 positioned adjacent thereto and maintain them together in this position as illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12, and 13a. The gripping jaws 96 of the hanger loop transfer means 94 are then disengaged from the hanger loop 24, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 14a. The hanger loop transfer means 94 is then reciprocated and rotated back to its original position at Station III. At this time, the casing 25 appears as illustrated in FIGURE 12 with the pleated casing end 26 and hanger loop 24 firmly clamped together by the clamping jaws 102 and with the pleating blades 76, 77 and 78 still retained in position in the formed pleats. Now, the leading upper feed roll 36 (FIGURES 3b, 3c) is disengaged from the trailing end of the casing 25 and the pleating blades 76, 77 and 78 are withdrawn from the pleats so that the casing 25 with the hanger loop 24 securely positioned to the pleated casing end 26, can be traversed from Station II along the longitudinal axis of the apparatus and indexed at Station IV (FIGURE 1). During this transfer, the upper end of the clamping jaws 102, protrude above the split connecting work surface 48 so that the body of the casing 25 is supported by the split connecting work surface 48 during transit between Station II and IV (FIGURE 1).

TRANSFER CARRIAGE MECHANISM As pointed out hereinabove, the means employed to transfer the pleated casing 25 by its pleated end 26 and hanger loop 24 to Station 1V is accomplished by the transfer carriage mechanism illustrated in FIGURES 13a-13e, 14a, 14b and 16.

As can be seen in FIGURES 13a and 16, carriage member 100 is alternately indexed at Stations II and IV (FIGURE 1) by being traversed over guide bars 112 on guide rollers 110 by endless chain 114 and sprockets 116 and 118. Endless chain 114 is driven in one direction and controlled by electrical clutch-brake 254 which is energized from the main drive motor 200. Sprockets 116 and 118 are positioned on the apparatus frame 28 so that the cam follower 120 automatically indexes the transfer carriage 100 at the pleating means 50 of Station II and the clip closure means 150 of Station IV. Each pair of sprockets 116 and 118 are respectively vertically spaced so that cam follower 120 on endless chain 114 can be linearly stopped at any point vertically intermediate either of the pairs of sprockets 116 or 118 without affecting proper indexing of carriage member 100 at either Station II or Station IV.

When carriage member 100 is indexed adjacent the pleating means 50 at Station II, male couplings 135 and 136 are mated together with the female couplings in manifolds 126 and 128, respectively (FIGURE 13a). Mating of the couplings opens the check valves in both the male couplings 135, 136 and the female couplings 126, 12S.

Prior to the mating of male couplings 135 and 136 with the female couplings in manifolds 126 and 128, respectively, and while carriage member 100 is in transit from Station IV to be indexed at Station II, clamping jaws 102 are in an open position as shown in phantom in FIGURE 14a. Before this time, upper manifold 126 in dual air manifold block 124 has been pressurized and lower manifold 128 exhausted by means of an electrically actuated 4-way valve (not shown) which caused air cylinder 108 to retract.

When the carriage member is indexed at Station II and the clamping jaws 102 are to be closed, the 4-way valve is actuated by a signal from control box 224 causing the air flow in dual air manifold block 124 to be reversed thereby advancing air cylinder 108 so that the clamping jaws 102 close and rmly clamp the pleated casing end 26 and hanger loop 24 therebetween (FIGURES 13a and 14a).

Carriage member is now ready to be traversed toward and indexed at Station IV. At this time, male couplings and 136 are disjoined from female couplings in manifolds 126 and 128 respectively, and the check valves in each coupling close to retain air in the cylinder 108 so that the pleated casing 26 and hanger loop 24 are secured in the clamping jaws 102. At this point, the apparatus appears as shown in FIGURE 13b.

The pleated casing end 26 and hanger loop 24 are thusly positioned at the clip closing means of Station IV (FIGURES l andl4b) ready for the next operation.

Station IV The sequential operation of the clip closure means 150 will be more clearly understood when considered together with FIGURES 1 and 15a-l5f.

A length of clip wire 165 is intermeittently supplied by wire pinch rolls 168 from supply reel 164 and guided through bore hole 159 in the clip wire guide 158 to wire stop plate 157 in the same manner as described hereinabove for advancement of the hanger loop material.

Once the predetermined length of clip wire 165, is in position in clip closure means 150 (FIGURE 15a), the movable clip die 154 is energized by pneumatic means (not shown) to slide and advance toward the thusly positioned length of clip wire 165. The angled corner or' movable clip die 154 adjacent the wire clip guide 158 coacts with wire clip guide 158 to sever a length of clip Wire 165 at this point to form wire clip section 166. During this time, clip die 152 and clip ram section 156 remain stationary while the sliding movement continues to advance movable clip die 154. The co-action of the angled corners of movable clip die 154 advancing against the ends of wire clip section 166, forces these ends to bend until the end portions of the wire clip section 166 are bent about the rounded corners of clip die 152 as shown in FIGURE 15b. This bending action continues until wire clip section 166 is bent into a U-shape (FIG- URE l5c). Advance of movable clip die 154 is now interrupted, and clip die 152 is withdrawn. As pointed out above, the pleated casing end 26 together with the hanger loop 24 had already been positioned adjacent slot 161 of clip closing die 160 as can be seen in FIGURE 15b. The advance of movable clip die 154 now continues until the angled corners of movable clip die 154 male with the angled side edges of clip closing die 160 as shown in FIGURE 15d.

Clip ram section 156 is now activated to advance in the slot 155 of movable clip die 154 thereby pushing against the closed end of the U-shaped wire clip section 166 forcing the leading ends of wire clip section 166 about the pleated casing end 26 and hanger loop 24 and into contact with the angled side walls of slot 161. As the clip ram section 156 continues to advance, the leading ends of U-shaped wire clip section 166 are shaped and bent toward each other by the angled side walls and concave rear wall of lslot 161 as shown in FIGURE 15e. In this manner, the leading free ends of wire clip section 166 are forced toward each other about the pleated casing and hanger loop until wire clip section 166 completely encircles the pleated casing end 26 and the hanger loop 24, thereby completing the wire clip closure in the pleated casing end 26 and simultaneously xedly securing the hanger loop 24 to the pleated casing end 26 as illustrated in FIGURE 151.

The clip closing operation is now complete and the apparatus appears as shown in FIGURE 15f. Clip ram section 156 and movable clip die 154 are returned to their starting positions and clip die 152 is re-positioned so that the Clip Closure forming means 150 is ready to form and 

